SAN BERNARDINO — Tuning out distractions is a trait that comes naturally to a lot of star athletes. Crowd noise or trash-talking opponents? No problem. Just block it out and play the game.

For San Bernardino Valley College soccer player Alfredo Palacios, it’s not that simple.

Palacios is hearing impaired. He wears hearing aids in both ears, and while tuning things out would be as easy as taking out the hearing aids, that’s not really a practical option.

So on the field, “Freddy” hears plenty, but with the speed and adrenaline pumping during a match, sometimes not enough. Through it all, he’s managed to become a key player on a Wolverines team in search of its first conference title and first playoff berth since 1994.

Palacios is among SBVC leaders in goals and assists. Coach Josh Brown said some opponents see the 5-foot-5 forward with hearing aids and might not pay him much attention.

What Palacios does is use his speed and energy to keep the Wolverines moving on both ends of the field. While the hearing aids help with conversation (Palacios also reads lips) teammates either clap loudly or yell his name during matches if they need to get his attention for an approaching defender or a quick pass.

Palacios has the skill to be a scoring threat, but his speed and drive have also made the diminutive sophomore a defensive stalwart, Brown said.

“A lot of it is just natural to him,” Brown said. “He communicates with his feet and he works so hard.”

“I’ve played soccer all my life,” Palacios said. “It’s my passion … I enjoy the game, work hard and have fun.”

Working harder might be a way to prove himself to teammates or opponents, he said. It’s also a way to take control of a game. During matches earlier this year with Santa Barbara and College of the Sequoias, Palacios consistently outjumped taller defenders to get his head on the ball.

“Other teams look at him and might say ‘Let’s go easy on the kid’ and he takes advantage of that,” Brown said.

Brown, a teacher at San Bernardino San Gorgonio High, has learned sign language and the school provides someone to help with sign language if needed. Palacios doesn’t worry about reaction if he misses a play or fails to hear his name in the heat of a match.

“I have a good time,” he said. “I don’t have an attitude.”

“The first thing I thought was can he play?” Campos said of seeing Palacios during tryouts. “He works twice as hard to show he can be out here and nobody is going to tell him otherwise. He’s stubborn in that way and he can get the job done.”

As for the team itself, SBVC is off to an 11-1-2 start and is 3-0 in the Foothill Conference. The Wolverines have won seven straight heading into Friday’s matchup with Victor Valley, including key wins over conference foes Chaffey and Rio Hondo. Last year’s squad was 3-10-6 overall with just one conference victory.

“Last year we had a lot of individual talent but no chemistry, no work ethic,” Brown said. “Our goal this year is a championship or nothing. I told them at the beginning of the season you have to have that mentality and they bought into that.”

Allan Steele has been a sports writer with the Press-Enterprise since 1999. He's covered events at every level from CIF championships to NCAA, MLB, NFL and NBA playoffs and even covered the Sparks run to two WNBA titles back in the day. Currently covers the eight Inland-area colleges. Since he no longer covers MLB, can now root for the Dodgers and the inevitable World Series celebration. Big Game of Thrones fan (books and TV) when not covering or watching sports.